Potage Parmentier

Whatever you think of the French language (and I still have nightmares about it) it can sure make the simple sound divine. In English this is called Potato-Leek Soup. Easy to spell, to the point, and has all the sex appeal of a chubby man in overalls. But "Potage Parmentier?" That just sounds like something a sultry French beauty would say in a dark nightclub. This recipe is adapted from Julia Child's recipe. The original is from her "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."

Ingredients:

3 large Russett potatoes, chopped
5 medium leeks, trimmed and sliced thin
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 cups stock (I use Chicken only because I almost never have vegetable stock on hand)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 lemon

For the garnish:
2 tbsp red pepper, minced
1 green onion, sliced
1-2 pieces of bacon, chopped fine
4 oz goat cheese

In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the potatoes, leeks and a hefty pinch of salt and cook until the leeks turn soft and the potatoes just start to brown (about 10 min). Add the stock and bring to a boil. Drop the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Check for seasoning. Add the buttermilk, and simmer for 10 minutes.

You can add more buttermilk if you like, up to one full cup. I love buttermilk in recipes like this. It's lower in fat than cream but still adds a lot of flavor and richness. The acidity can really brighten up a soup or sauce - I find cream can sometimes overpower.

Cut a disc of goat cheese and place in the center of a shallow bowl. Ladle the soup around the cheese. Sprinkle with the red pepper, green onion and bacon. Give each bowl a light squeeze of lemon - don't overdo it!

This soup is delicious by itself, but would also be a great "canvas" for adding other flavors. Blue cheese and bacon comes to mind, for example. Instead of goat cheese and the garnish, ladle a bowl full of soup and add 1-2 tablespoons of blue cheese and sprinkle with bacon. Or shred a little potato, fry then up into string fries and add for a little crunch. You really can't go wrong!